Railway rail puller



June 10,"1958 -F, c, cuRRlER, sR '2,838,277

RAILWAY RAIL PULLER Filed Oct. 17, 19545 INVENTOR.

Q u j #077269 Unite This Vinvention relates to improvements in means for removing the tracks of an abandoned rail line, and provides a new and improved apparatus which will tear up both rails simultaneously while retaining the ties in substantially their original positions, thus maintaining the original bed practically intact with the rails entirely free and providing a practically obstructionless grade on which to work for the removal of the torn-up rails andY ties, and for gathering Aup the pulled spikes.

In the preferred form, this apparatus is designed to pull both rails simultaneously so that a locomotive can be used as the tractive power, though any type of tractor canbe used,` and it can also he made in one form for pulling a single rail in which case tractive powerother than a locomotive must he used.

This apparatus is provided with a hold-down roller for holding and rolling down the ties as the spikes are being pulled through the lifting of the rail. In addition, the apparatus is provided with rail lifting rollers which are adjustable both vertically and horizontally along the frame, which in turn is rigidly constructed and supported.

The objects and advtanges of the invention are as follows:

First, to provide an ellicient rail pulling apparatus which can be towed by a locomotive operating on the same tracks which are being pulled, or can be towed by any other type of tractor.l

Second, to provide apparatus as outlined which will maintain the ties in position while the spikes are being retracted through pulling of the rails.

Third, to provide apparatus as outlined which will pull both rails of a railway track simultaneously.

Fourth, to provide apparatus as outlined with lifting rollers forpulling the rails and with the rollers adjustable both vertically and horizontally along the frame of the apparatus to compensate for different weights of rails and for diiferent degrees of hardness of the ties from which the spikes must be retracted.

Fifth, to provide apparatus as outlined with a front roller of suicient Weight to maintain the ties in position against the force exerted by the pulling of the spikes.

Sixth, to provide pivoting means for the front roller to permit the apparatus to follow around curves in the track while maintaining rigid supports for the frame on the axle of the roller for positive lift on the rail.

Seventh, to provide apparatus as outlined of the simplest possible construction and of maximum rigidity with full support for eflicient operation. Y

In describing the invention reference will be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation of the invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view showing the apparatus ar- `ranged for pulling lboth rails simultaneously.

States Patent O F '2,838,277 Patented June 10, 1958 ICC` the bearing and the tongue or drawbar connection on the front axle.

Fig. 5 shows a modication on a reduced scale with the apparatus arranged for pulling a single rail.

The invention includes a frame, each side member 10 and 11 of which is shown as formed of opposed channels 12 and 13 with the ilanges turned outwardly from each other, and being spaced at the yforward end by a plate 14, and at the rear end by a cross member 15 which is shownxed to the bottom flanges of the channels to maintain the space 4between the channels clear for passage of the lifted portion 16 of the rail being pulled. An additional tie between the channels is provided by the lifting roller frame which consists of two spaced plates 17 and 18 which are separated as shown bysuitable spacers such as the tubes 19 and the shaft 20 the ends of which are fixed in the respective plates, the lifting roller 21 being rotatably mounted on this shaft. The front edges of these plates are formed diagonally outward as indicated at 22 and 23 to operate as guides for the protruding edges of angle sh plates at the rail conncctions.

The lifting roller frame is slidable between the channels and is provided with several series of spaced holes 24, 25 and 25, and the side members are provided with a longitudinal series of holes 27, permitting the frame to be adjusted in two directions, vertically and horizontally for most efficient operation on the specific weight of rail and the type and condition of the ties, the heavier the rail, the higher and farther back the roller must be adjusted. Suitable bolts 28 are provided for clamping the frame between the channels, thus increasing the rigidity of the frame and reacting against any thrust on the lifting roller.

The rearwheels 29 are located just inside the side members and are rotatably mounted on these side members as indicated at 30, and these wheels may be of any suitable construction having the necessary strength, along with the axle 31 to withstand the load of the lifting rail, and are relatively small in diameter compared to the front roller or rollers 32 which must he in the neighborhood of six feet, while the rear wheels should not be more than three feet in diameter. With this arrangement, the front roller or rollers will travel fairly smoothly over the ties while the small rear wheels will ride over and drop down between the ties to provide an alternate lift and drop to the lifting roller, thus picking up and lifting the rails each time the rear wheels pass from tie to tie, providing more eiiicient operation than when the lifting roller merely rolls along on a substantially even keel.

The front roller or rollers must'have sufficient weight l to hold the ties down While the spikes are being pulled through lifting of the rail, about two tons being suliicient for 60# rail while 120# rail will require a weight of 6 to 8 tons, and this roller is mounted on an axle 33 which is supported at its respective ends in the bearings 34 which are slidable in the bearing blocks 34 which in turn are iixed to the side members such as by bolts 35.

A drawbar 36 is provided with a suitable coupling shown as a link 37 for coupling in Ithe drawbar of a locomotive by means of the usual coupling pin 38 in the knuckle 39, this coupling being made to suit the specilic tractive device to be used. This drawbar has a spacer strut 40 from which point the two arms 41 and 42 extend rearwardly just inside the side members and terminate each in an eye 43 in which the axle is rotatable.

The modilication shown to a reduced scale in Fig. 5 is identical with the exception that there is only one of the side members which is identical in all respects with the exception of the front bearing, and instead of wheels and rollers being located between two side frames, the side member is interposed between the rear wheels and the front rollers, thus beingy capable of pulling only one rail, consequently it cannot be towed by a locomotive, instead a tractor must be used.

For operation, the apparatus is moved to the end of y the track. The spikes are pulled from a number of the last ties, the ends of the rails are jacked up to a height where they will enter the space between the side plates 17 and 18 of the drop frame 44 and pass over the lifting roller 21. The apparatus is coupled to a locomotive or other tractive device which pulls the apparatus forward, the front roller or rollers holding the ties down while the spikes 45 are withdrawn through the lifting of the rail 46, lthe ties 47 remaining in their normal positions. In the event that any of the ties are lifted as indicated at 48, they are forced down as the front rollers pass over them.

As the apparatus is towed forward, the front roller being of a large diameter rides quite smoothly over the ties, while the rear wheels being of small diameter ride over the top of a tie then drop down in the space between the ties as indicated at 49 providing a reciprocating vertical movement which causes the lifting roller to pick up and then lift the rail.

The front rollers will follow a curve in view of the sliding bearings 34, the frame being strongly braced as shown at 50 and 51 and the side members being of ex c'eptional strength and rigidity.

Acute angle guides 52 are fixed on the underside of the channels to guide the protruding edges of the angle fish plates, which, with the guide flanges 22 will assure unobstructed travel of the rails through the lifting roller frame and through the space between the channels of the side frames.

I claim:

1. A railway rail puller comprising, a frame having side members, a roller rotatably mounted on and supporting the front end of said frame, and wheels rotatably mounted on and supporting the rear end of said frame, a drop frame for each side member and each adjustably mounted on the frame for vertical and horizontal adjustment on the frame and each drop frame having a lifting roller rotatably mounted in the lower end, said roller having a diameter in excess of four feet and a weight of not less than two tons, and said wheels having a diameter of less than three feet to cause vertical reciprocation of the lifting roller as the wheels ride over the ties and into the spaces between the ties.

2. A railway rail puller comprising a front roller having a front axle, rear wheels havinga rear axle, a main frame including side members with intermediate rigid cross bracing, said main frame being mounted on and supported at its respective ends on the respective axles, a drawbar having connection to said front axle, a lifting roller drop frame adjustably mounted on each side lmember for support thereof and for adjustment of the drop frame vertically and horizontally on said frame and including securing means for rigidly securing said drop frame in adjusted position, a shaft mounted in the lowerA end of said drop frame, and a lifting roller rotatable on said shaft, said front roller having a diameter in excess of five feet to ride substantially smoothly over the ties and having a weight in excess of two tons to operate as a holddown for the ties as the spikes are pulled through lifting of the rails, said rear wheels having a diameter less than three feet to ride over the ties and into the spaces therebetween to provide a reciprocating motion vertically for alternate takeup and lift on the rails for increased eiciency in pulling the rails.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,223,534 Shipp Dec. 3. 1940 2,271,311 Shambaugh Jan. 27, 1942r 2,368,269 Spiegel Ian. 30, 1945 

